My name is Ken Yagelski (Jagielski). I am second generation, American-born of a proud, Polish family. I was born and raised near Chicago, Illinois, in a small community named Michigan City, Indiana. This is a part of the Midwestern United States that is blessed with many Polish-American people... and talented musicians!

My family cherishes the many ethnic traditions that have been handed down through the generations of our family, including the enjoyment of Polish-American music and the chemnitzer concertina. I created the first version of this web site in 1996 to help promote and preserve an important part of my Polish heritage: the music and the instrument that we love. It has introduced me to many wonderful people around the world and it has been great fun to provide a valuable resource to so many people.

My father, Stanley Yagelski, is a very talented concertina musician and a member of the World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame. He taught my brother and me to play the chemnitzer concertina over 35 years ago. I still try to squeeze the 'box now and then, but I must admit that it's not nearly as often as I would like.

I now live in Virginia and continue to play the concertina for my own enjoyment, to entertain family and friends, and for the occasional public performance. I value the chance to watch and listen to more seasoned musicians at festivals and jam sessions across the country. There is always something new to learn about this beautiful and unique musical instrument.

We hope that you find ConcertinaMusic.com useful and entertaining. If you have any comments, questions, or would like more information about this web site, please do not hesitate to Contact Me.